Father’s Day Episode on HFVS (June 12th, 2007)

Hilltown Family Variety Show
WXOJ LP - 103.3 FM
Northampton, MA
June 12th, 2007 @ 7pm

Father’s Day Episode
Playlist

• Eric Herman - “Steve The Superhero”
  
• Yosi Levin - “Carmel Crunchies”
  
• Milkshake Music - “Fingers & Toes”
  
• Fats Waller - “Your Feet’s Too Big”
  
• The Ditty Bops - “You’re Head’s Too Big”
  
• Ginger Hendrix - “My Daddy Loves Tools”
  
• The Cornell Hurd Band - “Don’t Wipe Your Face With Your Shirt”
  
• Frances England - “Daddy-O”
  
• The Rhodes Tavern Troubadours - “Sherpa”
  
• Brady Rymer - “Dilly Dally Daisy (reprise)”
  
• Steve Weeks - “Cricket Little Cricket”
  
• Montag - “Kiddo 1″
  
• Elizabeth Street - “Cricket Songs”
  
• Montag - “Kiddo 3″
  

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FATHER’S DAY

For years, pre-Persephone, Father’s Day meant one thing to me … Clearwater Music Festival! I’ve taken Persephone on a member’s sail on the Sloop Clearwater, but this will be her first festival, which has fallen on Father’s Day for as long as I can remember. A great way to celebrate Father’s Day!

The CMF began 35 years ago through the tireless efforts of environmental activist and folk singer Pete Seeger. It has grown into the country’s largest annual environmental celebration with music, dance and storytelling, education and activism, attracting as many as 15,000 people of all ages to the shores of the Hudson River.

Over 90 performers, singers, songwriters, musicians, bands and storytellers representing a diverse mix of traditional and contemporary American Roots music, dance and storytelling, from Blues to Rock, Bluegrass to Jazz, Funk to Folk, Swing, & Cajun, Square and Zydeco. Six stages powered with sustainable energy presenting top quality and purposeful music all weekend.

Some of the headliners include the Cowboy Junkies, Buffy Sainte-Marie and Bruce Cockburn. On the Family Stage this year is a great line-up of fine talent, several you’ve heard here on HFVS, including:

• Bindlestick Bill
• Steve Charney & Harry
• Dog on Fleas
• Spook Handy
• Sharon Katz & The Peace Train
• Paul Richmond
• Roger the Jester
• Story Laurie & Ira McIntosh
• Storycrafters
• Uncle Rock

CRICKET LITTLE CRICKET

Our featured new music this week is a single by Steve Weeks, “Cricket Little Cricket”. It’s a sweet tribute to his daughter Molly (Cricket). Steve Weeks is a talented singer songwriter (and I’m sure a great dad too!). His accolades include Parents’ Choice Recommended Award Winner, APPA Honors Award Winner and International Songwriting Competition Finalist, among others.

The single is available as a free download on Steve’s website at www.steveweeksmusic.com. If you like what you hear, be sure to support this artist by purchasing one (or all) of his albums. (nudge, nudge)

We’ve asked Steve to write our Father’s Day post on Hilltown Families. Check back with us to share in Steve’s thoughts.

LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Trolleyfest 2007 in Shelburne Falls, MA (June 23rd)
• Uncle Rock at the Children’s Art Museum in Shelburne Falls, MA (July 28th)
• Free Breastfeeding Support Group in Amherst

FEATURED ALBUMS (REVIEWED BY ZOOGLOBBLE)

• Snow Day - Eric Herman and the Invisible Band
• What’s Eatin’ Yosi? - Yosi Levin
• Macaroni Boy Eats at Chez Shooby Doo - Ginger Hendrix
• The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides - Various Artists (The Cornell Hurd Band)
• Fascinating Creatures - Frances England
• Turn It Up Mommy! - The RTTs
• Every Day Is A Birthday - Brady Rymer
• Different - Elizabeth Street

FEATURED ALBUMS (NOT REVIEWED BY ZOOGLOBBLE)

• Happy Songs - Milkshake Music
• Nicky’s Jazz For Kids - Various Artists (Fats Waller)

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HEAR HERE: The Hilltown Family Variety Show can be heard on-air every Tuesday from 7-7:30pm on WXOJ LP, 103.3 FM, Valley Free Radio, out of Northampton, MA.

Streaming Audio

Archived Shows

Subscribe to Podcast

SUGGEST A SONG: Post your feedback & music suggestions below, or email Sienna & Persephone at swildfield@juno.com.

SUBMIT AUDIO, VIDEO & LITERATURE: Mail a press kit & media to be reviewed to HFVS, P.O. Box 98, West Chesterfield, MA 01084.

Click here to subscribe to Hilltown Families newsfeed.

Blue (grass) Moon Episode on HFVS (June 5th, 2007)

Hilltown Family Variety Show
WXOJ LP - 103.3 FM
Northampton, MA
June 5th, 2007 @ 7pm

Blue (grass) Moon Episode
Playlist

• John Rauhouse - “Cartoon Chicken”*
• The Nields - “John, The Rabbit”
• John Rauhouse - “Camptown Races”*
• Kim Lenz - “Down On The Farm”*
• Devil In A Woodpile - “Funky Butt”*
• Great Lake Swimmers - “See You On The Moon”
• Cat Stevens - “Moonshadow”
• Bill Monroe - “Blue Moon of Kentucky”
• Tao Rodriguez-Seeger & Arlo Guthrie - ” A Little a’ This ‘n’ That”
• Arna Bontemps - “Bedbugs”
• Lori McKenna - “Fireflies”

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THE BOTTLE LET ME DOWN

This past week Hilltown Families contributing writer Bill Childs posted the article, Music Compilations Worth The Bother. Bill offers a review of seven compilation albums, and later adds to his list here. Persephone saw the album image from The Bottle Let Me Down and liked it the best. As a consequence we’ve had to play in the car for at least a week now! It’s a good thing the album’s great! The title of the album appears as a tattoo on a babies arm, which led Persephone to whine for a tattoo too. We pulled out a tattoo of Gustafer Yellowgold’s head from the Brooklyn Hootenanny, and all was well.

FUNKY BUTT

We featured four cuts* from this album Persephone’s hijacked the car with, along with the title track by the Great Lake Swimmers from the album See You On The Moon, which is one of my fav sing-alongs. Two of the tracks were instrumentals, and if you’ve read our post Power Nap you know Persephone’s not a fan of music without lyrics. But the two instrumental songs we featured, “Cartoon Chicken” and “Camptown Races” were under her radar, mostly because they’re short, fun tunes, along with being wedged in between songs with fun lyrics and titles, like “Funky Butt” - She giggles severely whenever I mentioned that title.

BLUE MOON

There’s been much talk in our house this past week about the Blue Moon, so it only made sense to do a tribute with “Blue Moon of Kentucky” by Bill Monroe. Persephone likes to discover moon lore so I’ve tried to keep up with a moon lore series, which has featured a few books on moon lore. She particularly likes the book Thirteen Moons of Turtles Back. To properly explain to her what a Blue Moon is we’d have to present at least three different perspectives. However, short and easy explanations trump the more laborious ones, so we’ve told her, “The Blue Moon is the second full moon that occurs in a given month.” This of course faults us for furthering legends and lore, rather than facts, but who’s got time for the truth nowadays? (sarcasm)

LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

• The Nields in Concert - June 10th @ Thornes Market in Northampton, MA
• Northampton Survival Center Fundraiser - June 10th @ the NSC in Northampton, MA
• The Deedle Deedle Dees in Concert - June 16th @ Artifacts in Florence, MA
• Gustafer Yellowgold in Concert - June 16th @ MassMoca in North Adams, MA
• Uncle Rock in Concert - July 28th @ Children’s Art Museum in Shelburne Falls, MA

FEATURED ALBUMS (REVIEWED BY ZOOGLOBBLE)

• The Bottle Let Me Down - Compilation
• All Together Singing in the Kitchen - The Nields
• See You On The Moon! - Compilation
• Smithsonian Folkways Children’s Music Collection - Compilation

FEATURED ALBUMS (NOT REVIEWED BY ZOOGLOBBLE)

• Seeds: The Songs of Pete Seeger - Compilation
• Pieces of Me - Lori McKenna

Click here to subscribe to Hilltown Families newsfeed.

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HEAR HERE: The Hilltown Family Variety Show can be heard on-air every Tuesday from 7-7:30pm on WXOJ LP, 103.3 FM, Valley Free Radio, out of Northampton, MA.

Streaming Audio

Archived Shows

Subscribe to Podcast

SUGGEST A SONG: Post your feedback & music suggestions below, or email Sienna & Persephone at swildfield@juno.com.

SUBMIT AUDIO, VIDEO & LITERATURE: Mail a press kit & media to be reviewed to HFVS, P.O. Box 98, West Chesterfield, MA 01084.

Click here to subscribe to Hilltown Families newsfeed.

Hilltown Family Variety Show (May 29th, 2007)

Hilltown Family Variety Show
WXOJ LP - 103.3 FM
Northampton, MA
May 29th, 2007 @ 7pm

When I Grow Up I Wanna Be a Superhero Episode
Playlist

• Deedle Deedle Dees - “Deedle Deedle Dees Theme I”
• Dog On Fleas - “The Coo Coo”
• Pop Rockets - “Trucks!”
• Suzi Shelton off Park Slope Parents The Album - “One Day On The Porch”
• Asylum Street Spankers - “When I Grow Up”
• Michelle Shocked - “When I Grow Up”
• Mr. Richard - “The Please Don’t Tell Me You’re Gonna Wear That Superhero Costume Again Blues”
• Milkshake - Superhero

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Read the rest of this entry »

Music Compilations Worth The Bother

Music Compilations Worth The Bother
By Bill Childs, HF Contributing Writer

Pity the underachieving compilation CD.

To do so, you may find it helpful to first anthropomorphize the underachieving compilation CD – perhaps imagine it with arms, legs, and a little CD face. Done? Now, pity it. Well done.

You know the CD I’m talking about. You’re digging through the used bin and you come across it – a clever name, perhaps, and maybe a worthwhile beneficiary – say, the International Association to Reduce Moderate Irritability in Gym Teachers. You dig some of the artists, haven’t heard of others, and figure you might as well give it a try. You buy it, put it in the CD player, frown vaguely, and never listen again.

The problem with most compilation CDs is that they’re filled with leftover tracks, the ones that weren’t good enough to even be the filler tracks on the artists’ real albums, or else they’re throwaway covers of songs you didn’t like the first time around.

Happily, these flaws are not endemic in kids’ music compilations. Some, as you’ll see below, represent the only kid-appropriate tracks done by the artists, while others are somehow able to get artists to contribute killer non-leftover tracks. Check them out: Read the rest of this entry »

This Day in History: New York Public Library dedicated

1911 : New York Public Library dedicated

	1. ASHEIM, Lester (editor). Forum on the Public Library Inquiry: The Conference at the University of Chicago Library School, August 8-13, 1949. NY Columbia University Press 1950 Hardcover First edition. Ex-library copy with typical markings, else near fine in blue cloth. No dust jacket. Price: 20.00 USD Add to Shopping Cart

	2. DIEFENDORF, Elizabeth (editor). New York Public Library's Books of the Century. NY Oxford University Press 1996 0195108973 Hardcover Fine Illustrated by Diana Bryan. First edition. Fine in a fine dust jacket. ISBN: 0195108973. Price: 15.00 USD Add to Shopping Cart

	3. GOODRUM, Charles A. Treasures of the Library of Congress. NY Abrams 1980 0810916614 Hardcover Fine 439 illustrations, including 156 plates in color. First edition. Fine in a fine dust jacket. ISBN: 0810916614. Price: 30.00 USD Add to Shopping Cart

	4. KUHLTHAU, Carol Collier. Seeking Meaning: A Process Approach to Library and Information Services. Norwood Ablex Publishing Corporation 1996 1567500196 Paperback Fourth paperback printing. Fine in printed wraps. ISBN: 1567500196. Price: 35.00 USD Add to Shopping Cart

	5. MYERS, Sandra L. (editor). Ho for California!: Women's Overland Diaries from the Huntington Library. San Marino Huntington Library 1980 0873281039 Hardcover First edition. Previous owner's name on front free endpaper, boards are somewhat warped, else very good in a near fine dust jacket. ISBN: 0873281039. Price: 45.00 USD Add to Shopping Cart

	6. WILSON, Louis Round, et al. Library in College Instruction: A Syllabus on the Improvement of College Instruction Through Library Use. Westport Greenwood Press 1973 0837169283 Hardcover Fine Second printing thus. Fine in tan cloth. No dust jacket. ISBN: 0837169283. Price: 20.00 USD Add to Shopping Cart

Hilltown Family Variety Show (May 22nd, 2007)

Hilltown Family Variety Show
WXOJ LP - 103.3 FM
Northampton, MA
May 22nd, 2007 @ 7pm

Fishing Fry Episode
Playlist

• The Wizard of Oz Soundtrack - “The Lollipop Guild”
• Country Joe & The Fish - “The ‘Fish’ Cheer” (excerpt)
• The Bottle Let Me Down (John Rauhouse & Andy Hopkins) - “Three Little Fishes”
• Taj Mahal - “Fishing Blues”
• Mr. David - “Jump in the Jumpy House”
• The Ditty Bops - “Fish to Fry”
• Mr. David - “Hey! It’s Lunchtime!
• The Nields - “Toes”
• Uncle Rock - “Shoe Bandit”
• The Nields - “Shoes: Farewell, My Pants”
• Elizabeth Mitchell - “Winter’s Come & Gone”
• Vintage Children’s Favorites (Maurice Denham) - “Three Little Fishes”
• Walter Frederick Browder - spoken word

FAMOUS ARTISTS FROM SPRINGFIELD

This past weekend we stopped by the Springfield Museum and Persephone got to romp around the Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Park. Dr. Seuss grew up in Springfield, and is honored throughout the city with banners and a sculpture park. There were many kids there climbing on the structure, which a sign nearby clearly prohibits. Parents were shouting things like, “Joey, get off Horton.” “Persephone, don’t climb on the Grinch.” “LIAM! Don’t push your brother into Thing Number 2!”

I noticed one of the benches a screaming parent was sitting on had a tribute to Taj Mahal. I later learned that Taj Mahal (born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks) is the official Blues Artist of Massachusetts. Voted on and approved by the Senate and House of Representatives. Taj Mahal grew up in Springfield too, another claim to fame of the city.

JUNE IS NATIONAL KIDS FISHING MONTH

Taj Mahal sings about goin’ fishin’ and tells how he’d go fishin’ at Watershops Pond and at the lakes down at Forest Park in Springfield when he was a kid. Dr. Seuss lived a few blocks from Forest Park too, and his grandfather started a brewery near Watershops Pond. Something about that area generated some mighty talented folks.

There are a lot of fine places to go fishing here in the Hilltowns, with plenty of fishing derbys for the kids to participate in. A couple of weeks ago there was a fly fishing clinic for kids, and last week Chesterfield, Ashfield, Hadley and Easthampton had their fishing derbys. This coming weekend there will be another fishing derby at DAR State Park in Goshen, MA. I think I saw this posted on the community bulletin board at the Chesterfield General Store, but don’t hold me to it. — If you live outside the area, find a fishing derby near you by going to www.kids-fishing.org.

Local Resources

• Berkshire Fishing Club
• Fishing in MA
• MA Fishing Camps for Kids
• Berkshire Flyfishing

NEW MUSIC, FREE MUSIC

Jump in the Jumpy House was our featured new music this week. The album isn’t scheduled to come out until August 2007, however Mr. David is offering two free downloads of the cuts we played. Simply go to his website on myspace.com and download. They’re free downloads for now.

Persephone and I first listed to his song “Jump in the Jumpy House” on his website and LOVED IT! New fave! This song could easily be the theme song for the multitude of kid friendly festivals and fairs that happen during the summer and autumn months! It’s a call to FUN. - And “Hey! It’s Lunchtime” has inspired Persephone to claim that lunchtime is her favorite time too. Last night when I told her it was bathtime she protested and said she’d rather it be lunchtime. Lunchtime is more fun…

Mr. David is giving the first 3,000 fans who sign up for his newsletter a free, signed copy of the “Hey! It’s Lunchtime!” single. It might not be too late, and worth a shot if you’d like to get your hands on some new music.

UPCOMING FAMILY PERFORMANCES

• May 26th (10am) - Aric Bieganek @ Cup & Top
• June 10th (11am) - The Nields @ Thornes
  
• June 2th (10am) - Mr. Richard @ Cup & Top
• June 16th (10am) - Ulysses S. Dee from The Deedle Deedle Dees solo @ Cup & Top
• June 16th (6pm) -The Deedle Deedle Dees@ Artifacts
• July 7th (10am) - AudraRox @ Cup & Top
• July 28th (10am) - Uncle Rock @ Children’s Art Museum
  

FEATURED ALBUM REVIEWS ON ZOOGLOBBLE:

• The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides - Various Artists
• You Are My Little Bird - Elizabeth Mitchell
• All Together Singing in the Kitchen - The Nields

Click here to subscribe to Hilltown Families newsfeed.

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HEAR HERE: The Hilltown Family Variety Show can be heard on-air every Tuesday from 7-7:30pm on WXOJ LP, 103.3 FM, Valley Free Radio, out of Northampton, MA.

Streaming Audio

Archived Shows

Subscribe to Podcast

SUGGEST A SONG: Post your feedback & music suggestions below, or email Sienna & Persephone at swildfield@juno.com.

SUBMIT AUDIO, VIDEO & LITERATURE: Mail a press kit & media to be reviewed to HFVS, P.O. Box 98, West Chesterfield, MA 01084.

Click here to subscribe to Hilltown Families newsfeed.

Uncle Rock in Concert - July 28th, 2007

Hilltown Families & Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child Present …

UNCLE ROCK!!!

Join us for an intimate performance with Uncle Rock in the beautiful Hilltown of Shelburne Falls, MA. Make a day exploring Shelburne Falls following this Saturday morning performance. “Unlike some of the classic New England towns that are overrun with tourists in the summer and fall, Shelburne Falls remains a bit of an undiscovered pot of gold at the end of a bridge decked with a rainbow of blossoms.”

Reserve your tickets for UNCLE ROCK!

• July 28th, 2007 @ 10 a.m.
• Children’s Art Museum
• Shelburne Falls, MA.
• Tickets are $6.
• Call to reserve your tickets!
• 413.296.0096.

“[Uncle Rock’s CD, Plays Well with Others] is the album you imagine your former-rocker husband would love to make for your own kids–if only you had let him buy that Stratocaster last year instead of replacing the washer and dryer.” - Cool Mom Picks

“Plays Well with Others is an album with some great cuts of kid-friendly roots-rock.” - Zooglobble.com

Persephone met Uncle Rock last year while sailing aboard the Sloop Clearwater on the Hudson River. She’s been smitten ever since! Our well loved copy of Plays Well with Others has been played at pancake breakfasts, a community Halloween dance and on HFVS.

His real name is Robert Burke Warren. The former globe-trotting bass player (with the Fleshtones), stage actor (as the lead in the London production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story) and Americana songwriter (with Rosanne Cash and for Wanda Jackson) stumbled onto his most satisfying creative endeavor yet as a teacher’s assistant at the rural School Of The New Moon in Mount Tremper, New York, where Uncle Rock was born.

Warren shares, “It’s my natural bent as a songwriter to go to shadowy areas, and I was happy to be reminded that most kids have an innate interest in things like ghosts, wild animals, villains, misadventure and mystery.” An erstwhile stay-at-home dad, went to work with guitar in hand, and, surrounded by preschoolers, found that requests for the darker stuff were constant.

Much of Uncle Rock’s music rocks, with drums, bass, and instruments ranging from Irish tin whistle to kalimba to a RevereWare pot, while exploring often overlooked subjects that fascinate folks young and old:

• “Picnic in the Graveyard” explores the largely Mexican/Central American holiday El Dia De Los Muertos (Day Of The Dead) in which families celebrate and break bread with folks who have passed on.
• “The Gettin’s Big Blues” describes the difficulties of progress with lyrics like, “I’m talkin’ baby talk/Pick me up ‘cause I don’t wanna walk…”
• “Shoe Bandit” explains a childs confounding loss of a single sneaker.

Comments from the Peanut Gallery:



“Kids just wanna rock with Uncle Rock, whose colorful, engaging tales have made him a hit on the children’s circuit.” - Harp Magazine

“Freewheelin’ fun!” -Cookiemag.com

“Music that rocks both kids and adults is a brilliant concept and one done extremely well here.” - Kingston Daily Freeman

“Roots rocking family fun.” - Chronogram Magazine

“The hippest, most parent-friendly, most intelligent kids’ songs ever.” - Woodstock Times

“Thankfully adult-friendly tunes sure to become a staple in your household.” - Hudson Valley Parent

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